Parkhurst, JOHN

Parkhurst, JOHN, an English biblical scholar, was born at Catesby in Northamptonshire in June 1728. He was educated at Rugby and at Clare Hall, Cambridge, and took orders, but soon after retired to his estate at Epsom to give himself to study. Here he died, March 21, 1797. In 1762 appeared his principal work, A Hebrew and English Lexicon, without Points, a very creditable performance for its time, and long a standard work, although disfigured by its fanciful etymologies. Of course it is now entirely superseded. Parkhurst also wrote a treatise (1787) against Dr Priestley, to prove the divinity and pre-existence of Jesus Christ.